Kenya, birding safari, part 1, Nairobi National Park, Mt Kenya, Samburu National Park November 2nd to 8th

Jambo! Here is our record of the birding trip in Kenya.

The trip was planned after checking for the times when rain usually falls in Kenya. The main rains fall in June/July with their little rainy season from the later part of November. As the trip was timed to allow us to go on to support the ringing efforts at Ngulia, when the short rains should have started, we elected to do our safari in the three and a half weeks beforehand. We had engaged a guide that came highly recommended and should be able to help us see a good deal of the 1000+ species present.

We flew to Kenya on November 1^st and met Chege the following morning for an early start at Nairobi National Park. We were also joined by Edwin (someone hoping to do bird guiding in the near future as Chege had agreed to show him some of the sites). We began seeing birds even before we reached the park, but here are some that were in Nairobi National Reserve.

Malachite Kingfisher

Dusky Turtle Dove

White-browed Sparrow-weaver

Grey Crowned Cranes

Three Banded Plover

Von Der Decken's Hornbill

Yellow-billed Stork and Sacred Ibis

During our first day (2^nd), we found out that the rains had started three weeks before and the amount of rainfall was equal if not more than that usual for the summer months. This was unusual and may affect the birds behaviour and therefore the species that we might see. We toured Nairobi under blue skies punctuated with grey clouds. A complete list of sightings will not be given each day, just a few photo highlights.

Masai Giraffes against the Nairobi skyline

Lionesses rest up

White Rhinos

Black Rhino with calf

Impala buck

After the park we drove on to Thika where we would spend the night.

The transport for our safari

The next day (3^rd) started with a problem. After picking up a few new species in town, the road down to the sewage works had been severely damaged by rainwater run-off. A substantial ditch had been dug along the length closest to the access gate. It took some working around but we eventually traversed the still flowing torrent, thanks to the land cruiser, and got to within walking distance and checked out the settling beds.

A flooded roadway was only the start of problems at Thika sewage works.

The sewage works at Thika

Didric Cuckoo

Long-toed Plover

White-faced Whistling Ducks

Wood Sandpiper

Black-winged Stilt

As we left we found a White Stork carrying darvic T853 in a waterlogged field. 

White Stork with darvic T853.From enquiries we know this to be a bird ringed in Croatia, as a pullus in 2018. But we still await complete ringing details.

Blacksmith plover

It was a few hours to drive to Forest Lodge on the slopes of Mount Kenya. We arrived during a downpour and although we started a walk when it eased off, we were soon forced inside by the driving rain and lack of visible birds.

At the foot of the road to Castle Lodge we got African Dusky
Flycatcher, before the weather closed in for the day.

It had rained much of the night. The next day (4^th) dawned with a pall of cloud over the trees so raincoats were taken on the 5 hour walk just in case they were needed. There seemed to be a lot of the expected birds absent and this was put down to the weather. Even some of the species that usually come to recorded calls failed to show. We thought some birds may be breeding early due to the rains and no longer responsive to calls.

Northern Double-collared Sunbird

Hunter's Cisticola

White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher with young

A boiler to guarantee a hot shower

Threatening clouds blocked the view to Mount Kenya

There was another walk in the afternoon – again birds were missed.

We left Forest Lodge on the 5^th  and the guide decided to leave Kieni Forest out of the planned itinerary, adding species along the way to Sirimon Gate, Mount Kenya. We were not allowed entry as they couldn’t collect our payment due to the system being down. This was a shame as the access road had been very promising.

Speckled Mousebird

African Stonechat (male)

Mountain Yellow Warbler

Common Zebra

We were supposed to visit this on the way back, but it didn’t happen so guaranteed species on Mount Kenya went unseen. We continued on to Samburu National Reserve, entering through Buffalo Springs, one of three parks that combine to form the reserve.

We had a very long lunch at Kentrout – the restaurant had no food and sent out for supplies so a lot of time was spent with very little to  show for it. Eventually we got on the move towards Buffalo Springs, one of three reserves that form Samburu National Park.

We were pleased to be at Samburu (6^th) as game drives produce animals as well as birds, even ‘though it meant not getting out of the vehicle, other than at designated areas. We spent some time searching for Leopard at a spot where Vervet Monkeys were intently watching a predator on the ground and issuing frequent, loud warning calls but the animal eluded us and remained unfound in its hiding spot.

Grevy's Zebra

Samburu is well known for the large herd of Elephants

Bull Elephant

Dwarf Mongoose

Reteculated Giraffe

Olive Baboon male

Vulturine Guineafowl

Black-faced Sandgrouse

The second day at Samburu (7th) was spent in Shaba where we trekked a long way to look for and eventually find William's Lark in the lava fields.

Adult Lion. Research has shown that manes tend to be
sparcer in individuals in hotter climates.

Violet Wood Hoopoe

Shaba had received much less rain than Samburu, a real contrast with dry shrivelled bushes rather than gushing streams and lush grass.

Shaba

Safari style birding

We had a picnic lunch at a place known as 'Joy's Camp'. This is where Joy Adamson based operations for her work in conserving African big cats, and where she was murdered in Jan 1980.

The watch tower was easily recognisable, a familiar scene from the 1960s film
'Born Free' about the work and life of Joy Adamson.

Pygmy Falcon

On the morning of the 8th we spent our last morning in the park.

Grey- headed Kingfisher

Kori's Bustard

Temminck's Courser

Black-backed Jackel